How to Delay Sending iPhone Messages
By John Granby
The iPhone's SMS interface makes it easy to create text messages, organize your conversations and even type a message and leave it in the editor window to send later. However, the standard behavior on iPhones up to iOS 6 does not allow you to create an SMS message and specify a future time to send it; in the standard user interface, you must actually tap "Send" to send the message. With a jailbroken iPhone, you can install BiteSMS, a third-party application that lets you create an SMS and specify a future time for your iPhone to automatically send the message.
Jailbreak Your iPhone
A jailbroken iPhone is required to install BiteSMS. If your phone is not jailbroken, you can use either the GreenPois0n or RedSn0W jailbreak apps. Both are stable and trusted in the jailbreak community; even so, you should still remember that jailbreaking your iPhone voids the warranty, and Apple will not support your phone if you have problems. In addition, not all iOS versions support jailbreaking. Read the software documentation from GreenPois0n or RedSn0w carefully before proceeding.
Install BiteSMS
Once your phone is jailbroken, you can install BiteSMS from Cydia, the app store for jailbroken applications (Cydia is installed during the jailbreak process). Tap the "Cydia" icon and search for "BiteSMS." Tap "BiteSMS" in the search results to view the app's information page. Tap "Install." Tap "Restart Springboard" if you are prompted to do so after the install.
Create a Delayed SMS
Tap the "BiteSMS" icon and create a new SMS message by tapping the button in the upper right that looks like a white square with a pencil. Enter the intended recipient and tap the "+" button at the bottom of the screen. Tap the "Date & Time" option and select the future date and time that you want to send this SMS. Tap the "Scheduled SMS" button at the top left. Tap the "Text" option and compose your message in the editor. Tap the "Scheduled SMS" button at the top again, and then tap "Done." Your message will be queued and sent at the specified time.
Save the SMS for later
For non-jailbroken phones, the only method available to delay an SMS with iOS 6 is to type your message and then not tap "Send" until you are ready to send it. This is not an ideal method, especially if you think you may forget to send the text at the desired time. Nevertheless, this is an option if you want your message to be stored in the editor box but remain unsent until you manually send it.
References
Writer Bio
John Granby began his writing career in 2000 as a founding member of a tech industry website targeted at WAP developers. He has provided in-depth coverage of the wireless industry, served as a speaker at several conferences and authored a book on Bluetooth. Granby earned a Bachelor of Science in computer engineering from Purdue University.